Japan, S Korea start joint survey of disputed waters

TOKYO, Oct 7 (Reuters) A Japanese research ship left port today to begin a joint survey with South Korea for radioactive waste in the Sea of Japan, a Japanese Coast Guard official said.

Japanese diplomats have been quoted as saying that the survey would cover several locations, including waters around desolate islands at the centre of a territorial dispute between the two nations, but the official could not comment on the itinerary.

Tensions have flared since early 2005 over the islands, which the Japanese call Takeshima and Koreans call Tokto. It is one of several disputes souring bilateral ties which new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes to smooth when he visits Seoul on Monday.

Japanese plans to conduct a survey near the islands in April led South Korea to dispatch around 20 coastguard vessels to head off the survey ship. Then South Korea sent a survey vessel near to the islands in July, inviting protests from Tokyo.

A Japanese Coast Guard research vessel, with several South Korean researchers also on board, left Moji on the southern island of Kyushu around noon today, the official said.

The survey was expected to take about a week, although this might be affected by the weather.

A South Korean ship, with several Japanese researchers aboard, was set to leave Pusan to survey the same areas, Kyodo news agency said. The two sides would pool their data after the survey was completed.

Japan has said the survey for radioactive contamination has been carried out every year since 1994 in response to fears over nuclear waste believed to have been dumped by the Soviet Union and Russia in the past.

Seoul maintains a police presence on the disputed islands, situated in rich fishing grounds roughly halfway between Japan and South Korea. Deposits of gas hydrate, a crystalline solid rich in methane, lie under the sea bed.

South Korea, where bitter memories linger of Japan's 1910-1945 rule over the Korean peninsula, has called Japan's claims to the islands an attempt to revert to past militarist tendencies.

Talks in September on redrawing a sea border failed to bridge differences.

Abe is to meet South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun on Tuesday, a day after holding talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and other leaders in Beijing.

REUTERS PDM RK1100